Obituary: Sr. Moira of the Eucharist (Patricia Ann Cunningham), 86

Obituary courtesy of Guilford Funeral Home:

Sr. Moira of the Eucharist, O.P. (Patricia Ann Cunningham) died peacefully on Thursday, August 17 among her sisters in the infirmary of Our Lady of Grace Monastery. The nuns are very grateful for the skilled care and kindness that she received from the staff of Genesis Health Care (Madison House) during the course of a long illness as well as for the generous and gracious assistance provided by the VNA hospice team during her final days.

Sr. Moira was born on May 31, 1937 in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated from Dominican Commercial High School in 1955 and spent five years working in New York business offices before entering the Monastery of Our Lady of Grace on September 8, 1960. Sr. Moira pronounced her solemn vows as a Dominican Nun on July 3, 1965.

During her years in the monastery, Sr. Moira served the community in many different capacities, including sacristan, vestment making, the print shop and the fudge department. She was especially capable and gracious when writing to the many benefactors who send donations and prayer intentions to the monastery in response to a monthly novena mailing.

Sr. Moira was the eldest of ten sisters and brothers and is survived by Michael (Rose) Cunningham, Maureen (John) Mahon, Mary (Steven) Orthodoxow, Mark (Roseann) Cunningham, sister-in-law Grace Cunningham, and many nieces and nephews, She was predeceased by parents John and Ann (Pantina) Cunningham, siblings John, Joseph and Kenneth Cunningham, Helen Pugliese and Eilene Owens.

Calling hours will be held Tuesday, August 22 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. and 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the chapel of the Monastery of Our Lady of Grace, 11 Race Hill Rd, North Guilford. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated there on Wednesday, August 23 at 10am, followed by interment in the monastery cemetery. Memorial donations may be sent to the Monastery of Our Lady of Grace, 11 Race Hill Road, North Guilford, CT 06437-1099; https://www.dominicannuns.org/